White Waters
by phoenixlark
Summary: Commodore Norrington isn't exactly sure what to do when a naked woman shows up on the deck of his ship. His men's fears that she's a mermaid turn out to be correct, but he saves her from being killed. Now she refuses to leave him alone and seems to be making his life a living hell. He must find a way to get rid of her and his only option is to take her to Tortuga.
1. Stepping Onto The Deck

The mermaid swam through the ocean as quickly as she could. She had been chasing a ship for days and was waiting for the perfect moment to try to sneak on board. She desperately wanted the company of a man tonight and knew that this ship would be swarming with lonely men that had been out to sea for weeks, or maybe even months, longing for a woman's touch. She grinned at the thought of having a ship full of men begging her to spend the night with them.

The ship had finally started to slow its pace and she made her way to the surface. She broke through the surface of the blue waves and flipped her red hair out of her face. Seeing the ship from the surface only confirmed what she had suspected: this was a British Navy ship. She grinned once more at her luck. The navy men were always the most desperate for they were never allowed to stop at brothels like pirates did. She started swimming to keep pace with the blue hull of the ship and let her fingernails lengthen into claws. She gripped onto the hull and grasped the pendant around her neck. It was a simple white seashell, but it was anything but ordinary. As she gripped the shell, her blue-green tail began to turn into a pair of long, thin legs. The mermaid smiled and stretched one of her legs out to work the long unused muscles. After stretching her legs for a moment she started to climb up the side of the ship using her claws and grasping onto rigging whenever she could reach it. She reached the railing of the ship and gripped it tightly with her fingers. She poked her head ever so slightly over the edge to get a good look at the deck and saw a few men working. That was exactly what she wanted.

The mermaid pulled herself over the edge and slid down to the wooden deck. She took a few steps forward to a man tying knots and tapped him on the shoulder. He looked up and stared at her in shock.

"And how are you today, sailor?" she asked in a sultry voice.

Apparently the man was more frightened than seduced by her. He immediately dropped his work and got to his feet.

"MERMAID!" he cried at the top of his lungs.

The rest of the crew dropped what they were doing and stared at her in fear. The ship suddenly erupted in noise as they scrambled to get a look at her and to grab their weapons.

The mermaid merely smiled. She was quite used to this reaction after all. The fear of mermaids was all too common amongst sailors.

Commodore James Norrington looked up from his maps as he heard the sounds of a ruckus on deck. He quickly grabbed his jacket and hat and threw open the door to his cabin. His men were gathered in a circle on deck and were brandishing their weapons as they yelled.

"What is the meaning of this?!" he barked as he descended down the steps towards the lower deck.

"A mermaid has climbed on deck, sir," his first mate explained, "the men want to kill her."

Norrington pushed through the men and came to a sudden stop as he took in the sight of the supposed mermaid. She had long red hair and piercing blue eyes that looked like the waters of the Caribbean. She was also, to his surprise, nude. Her blue eyes met his and she put a hand on her hip.

"Is this how king's men treat a woman?" she asked in a playful tone, "I only wanted to help!"

"Back to the sea with you, you devil!" a sailor shouted from the back.

"I assure you," the woman said, "I'm not a devil. To you, perhaps I am, but I believe that I'm not one."

"Just kill her and be done with it," another man shouted, "The only good mermaid is a dead one!"

As one of his men raised his pistol, Norrington quickly stepped in front of the woman.

"Men, stand down!" he yelled, "Is this how navy men treat a woman?!"

"She isn't a woman," the man countered, "she's the spawn of the devil!"

"That necklace she's wearing allows her to grow legs and to walk on land! Don't let her deceive you!"

James looked over his shoulder at the woman and noticed the necklace she was wearing. He had to admit that it was a bit unusual, but that didn't mean that this woman was a mermaid.

"Lower your weapons," he said in a commanding tone as he stared down his men.

His men glanced at each other with questioning looks.

"That's an order!" he barked.

They finally lowered their weapons, albeit begrudgingly, and glared at the woman behind the commodore.

The woman smiled as James turned to face her.

"I thank you for your kind words," she began, "but unfortunately your men are correct. I am a mermaid."

He stared at her in complete and utter disbelief. There was no way that she was telling the truth.

The woman grasped her pendant and her legs turned into a long, blue-green tail right before the eyes of everyone on deck.

The commodore's look of disbelief was replaced by one of shock. The crew was fired up once more and raised their weapons.

"Kill her before she steals your heart! Don't look into her eyes or she'll bewitch you!"

"Silence!" James yelled above the cacophony of voices around him, "She is not to be harmed! Anyone who touches her will face the end of my blade! Is that clear?!"

The crew lowered their weapons once more, but glared at the woman as she grew legs once more. She rose to her feet and smiled as charmingly as she could.

"Back to your duties!"

The crew returned to their work while shooting venomous glares at the redhead.

James Norrington turned to face the woman behind him. She looked him in the eye and smiled.

"I thank you for sparing my life," she said, "My name is Lorelei. And what should I call my rescuer?"

James swore he felt his cheeks flush slightly at her words.

"Commodore James Norrington," he replied.

"Thank you, Commodore Norrington, for saving my life. Is there anything that I can do to repay you?"

His eyes accidentally glanced down her body, which reminded him so much of how he imagined Elizabeth would look underneath her dresses, before quickly returning to her face. Lorelei grinned and rested her hands on her hips.

"Feeling lonely, are you?" she asked.

"Not necessarily," he answered as he quickly glanced to look at the ocean.

Lorelei raised an eyebrow. This Commodore Norrington was proving to be a difficult man to woo. She rested her hand on his shoulder and leaned in.

"I take it you have a wife then?"

He was silent.

"A fiancé?"

He was silent still.

Lorelei raised her eyebrows in surprise. No wife or fiancé? That was surprising for a military man of his rank. She took in his rigid stance and realization finally hit her.

"Ah, you've been rejected.

The commodore angrily turned to look at her.

"It is none of your concern," he said pointedly.

Lorelei tilted her head and shrugged her shoulder.

"Perhaps you're right," she said, "but I'm interested in why you aren't accepting my offer."

"Perhaps I'm not interested," he retorted dryly.

She laughed in response.

"I have ways to make you interested, Commodore. You just have to let me close to you."

He frowned and started walking towards his cabin.

"Follow me and I'll give you something to wear."  
Lorelei followed him and felt the angry glares of the crew on her naked body. They'd soon be coming to beg her for her caress.


	2. The First Night

Lorelei stood in the commodore's cabin patiently waiting for him to give her something to wear. Not that she particularly minded being naked, but he apparently wanted her to be clothed. Damn, those British men and their uptight sensibilities.

James felt Lorelei's eyes on his back as he dug through his wardrobe looking for anything that she could wear. He didn't have a single dress for her to wear, but he did have a shirt and some trousers that she could fit into. They were meant for a boy, but they would fit her thin and lean body.

"These will have to do," he said as he held them out to her.

The mermaid took them and started to put them on right in front of his eyes. He quickly turned his back to give her some privacy all the while blushing like a fiend.

Lorelei pulled the shirt on over her head and draped her long red hair over her shoulder. She noticed the commodore had his back turned to her and she laughed.

"No need to be so modest, Commodore Norrington," she said, "You've already seen everything."

"I'm afraid that I must be," he retorted.

"And why is that?" she asked as she took a few steps towards him.

"I am a man of the king's navy and I must be of the utmost moral character."

Lorelei laughed as she stood behind him.

"I've never met a navy man as dedicated to morality as you," she said, "Most men would be begging for me to take all of their troubles away."

"I'm not like most men."

"You've most certainly proven that," she retorted, "Now I have a question for you, Commodore."

He turned to face her and found that she was, to his relief, clothed.

"And what would that be?"

"If you're not interested in having me in your bed, then why did you save my life?"

James was silent as he pondered her question. Why exactly had he saved the mermaid's life? He wasn't interested in what she was trying to offer him, but he had to admit that she was beautiful. Her eyes spoke to him and her hair was unlike anything he had ever seen. It was much more vibrant than anything he had ever seen before in all of his travels.

Lorelei raised an eyebrow and watched the man before her closely as he was deep in thought.

"It's what any good man would have done," he finally answered.

She frowned at his response. He was hiding something and she would do all that she could to uncover it.

Night fell and James didn't know what to do about Lorelei. She couldn't sleep with the crew because they would no doubt kill her. The only option was for her to stay in his quarters. They could share the bed or… he quickly pushed the thought out of his head. She would sleep in his bed and he'd sleep in a chair.

Lorelei was already stripping out of her clothes as he looked over some charts. She watched him for a bit and walked up behind him.

"Are you coming to bed?" she asked.

He was startled by how close she was and had to hide his surprise.

"You will be sleeping alone, Ms. Lorelei," he said, "as will I."

She gave him a judgmental look and grabbed his chair. She started dragging it across the room towards the bed and he was stunned at her strength. She came to a stop at his bed and leaned in to his ear.

"Either you get in willingly or I'll dump you out."

"It's improper," he said before she quickly cut him off.

"Nobody will know," she countered, "so your precious reputation will be safe. I won't tell a soul. Cross my heart, James."

It felt strange to hear her say his first name so casually.

"Make your choice," she said, "or I'll make it for you."

James reluctantly rose from the chair and sat on the edge of his bed. Lorelei grinned at her handiwork and picked up the chair to return it to its rightful place. He watched her return and felt uncomfortably warm. She sat next to him and smiled at him.

"Relax, commodore," she said, "I don't bite."

He couldn't relax with her right next to him! He stiffened as she rested her hand on his shoulder.

"If you want, I'll wear clothes to bed," she offered.

"Please," he muttered.

"As you wish."

She got up to get dressed once more. James looked away and tried to occupy himself with thoughts that were anything but her.

Lorelei slipped the shirt over her head and padded across the floor to Commodore Norrington. Was he this nervous around every woman? No wonder he wasn't engaged!

"Better?"

He looked up at her and nodded his head silently. She sat beside him and eyed him curiously.

"Are you going to tell me what happened to make you so shy about women?"

"Not on your life."

She frowned. Oh, he was going to be a tough nut to crack. But she was up for the challenge.

"Why don't you lay back, commodore?"

He was silent. Lorelei rolled her eyes and shoved him back against the pillows.

"There," she said as she laid down next to him, "Now just relax."

He quickly glanced away and she frowned in response. She grasped his chin and forced him to look at her as she leaned over him. Her blue eyes stared straight into his and he felt his chest tighten uncomfortably at how close she was.

"You haven't been sleeping well," Lorelei said as she took in the dark circles under his eyes.

He brushed her hand off of his chin and rolled onto his side away from her. She sighed loudly and grabbed his shoulder tightly before rolling him onto his back. She pressed him down into the mattress and James was surprised to find that he couldn't move that half of his body. How was she so strong?!

"Don't ignore me when I'm talking to you," she said with a harsh edge to her musical voice, "it's very rude to ignore a lady when she's speaking."

"I'm not sure if I could call you a lady," he muttered dryly and she laughed in response.

"And I thought you were a model gentleman. Glad to see you have some fire to you."

James did not like the way she had said that. It sounded like she was plotting something.

Lorelei grinned and tilted her head slightly to the side. Her fiery red hair cascaded down her shoulders and framed her unearthly beautiful face.

"Should I sing you to sleep?" she asked teasingly.

He snorted and gripped her wrist tightly.

"I'd rather not be treated like a child."

Suddenly her other hand was on top of his. It was warm and strong.

"A mermaid's voice can lure a man to sleep," she said, "I could help you sleep through the night, commodore."

He stared up at her as he mulled over her words. He had been having trouble sleeping. Sleep brought dreams and dreams brought along reminiscences of his past failures. He'd stay awake until he couldn't any longer, so that he would have a dreamless slumber. Lorelei raised a red eyebrow as she watched him think.

"Whatever haunts you won't you find you while you sleep," she assured him, "I'll make sure of it."

Did she really have the power to keep the dreams at bay? He glanced down at her hand and felt the pressure of her palm on his shoulder. She was already stronger than he had initially thought she was. Perhaps she could do other things that he had never even considered possible. Finally he nodded his head and the mermaid smiled.

Lorelei began to sing in a melodic and soft voice. Her voice was utterly captivating and soothing at the same time. James could distinctly hear every word she sang, but recognized that they sounded foreign to his ears.

" _Kuulin äänen, kuulin, kuulin äänen kullaltani  
Heläyksen, helä-heläyksen hertaltani  
Luulin luona, luulin, luulin luona olleheni  
Läsnä lämmitelle, läsnä lämmitelleheni"_

His eyes were growing heavy as the melody echoed in his mind. For the first time in months, his mind seemed to finally be at peace.

" _En mie luona, en mie, en mie luona ollutkaan  
En mie läsnä, en mie, en mie läsnä lämmiteltkään  
Olin viien, olin, olin viien viikon päässä  
Kuuen kuukauen, kuuen kuukauen nenässä"_

His eyes finally closed and his breathing became peaceful. The last thing he heard before he drifted off into sleep was Lorelei's foreign melody and the sound of waves.

Lorelei finished her song and watched the commodore as he slept. His once rugged features were now softened by sleep and she couldn't help but smile. He was quite a handsome man. She moved her hand to his cheek and gently touched his warm skin.

"Tulet kiinni minua kuin oravakuusen," she said softly as she watched his chest rise and fall. She laid down beside him and closed her eyes. In her mind's eye she could see the frigid waters in which she had been born and raised. She could hear the musical language of the seafaring men and the songs of the women as they gathered water from the river. Villages were surrounded by canopies of green forest and she smiled before finally succumbing to sleep.

* * *

(Author's Note:)

The song Lorelei sings is a Finnish folk song called _Kuulin äänen._ The Finnish phrase she says translates to "You will cling to me like a squirrel on a fir tree" in English.


	3. Making Friends

The commodore felt the sun hit his face and groaned softly. He covered his eyes with his arm and tried to go back to sleep. As he felt himself drifting off to sleep something pressed up against his side. He stiffened and his eyes flew open. He saw a head of red hair right next to his shoulder and suddenly remembered everything that had happened from the day before. The woman sleeping next to him was a mermaid. And she had sung him to sleep. Lorelei's breathing was soft and steady as she slept. Her eyelashes brushed her fair cheek and her eyebrows furrowed slightly. Perhaps she was dreaming. What did mermaids dream about? Killing men?

James sat up and stretched. The mermaid made a noise as he moved. He watched her for a moment before standing up. Lorelei quickly shifted towards the warm spot he left behind. He had to admit that the mermaid was beautiful while she slept. She seemed completely harmless and innocent. But he knew better. She was capable of luring him to his death if she wished it. He knew that she could do magic and the thought of her cursing him was at the forefront of his mind. There was no telling what she was capable of.

Lorelei sighed and opened her eyes. James stiffened as her blue eyes met his.

"Good morning, commodore," she said with a yawn as she stretched her limbs.

"Good morning," he said curtly as he quickly turned away.

Lorelei frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. Why was this man so jittery? She watched him stare at the wall for a few moments before she cleared her throat. He didn't even blink. She sighed and tapped him on the shoulder. He quickly looked towards her and his jaw was rigid.

"I hate to bother you while you're thinking," she said demurely, "but I was wondering if I could trouble you for something to eat?"

James was surprised for a moment. He stared at her and she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Did you seriously think that I didn't need to eat?"

His silence was all the answer she needed. She frowned and sighed. Men were helpless.

"Where's the galley?" she asked.

"Down the stairs on the left," he said monotonously.

She swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. She stretched her arms over her head and sighed.

"Thank you," she said, "I'll bring something back for you."

He was surprised that she was thinking of him. Why was she thinking of him? Was she trying to gain his trust?

She walked past him and threw one last look at him over her shoulder. Their eyes met and he quickly looked away.

Lorelei shut the door behind her and rolled her eyes. Men! Sometimes she wished that she wasn't attracted to them. She glanced to her left and noticed the stairs leading down into the ship and the wafting aroma of roasted meat. That was obviously the way to the galley. Her stomach growled and Lorelei didn't care if anyone on deck heard it. She hadn't eaten in over a day and was utterly famished. She quietly made her way down the steps and heard the sounds of pans and knives. She was obviously in the right place. Surprisingly, the cook spotted her before she spotted him and already had a knife pointed at her. Lorelei raised an eyebrow and rested a hand on her hip.

"Is this how you treat a lady?" she asked.

The man glared at her and jabbed the knife in the air. He definitely had a rougher appearance compared to the other men she had seen on deck.

"I don't consider mermaids to be ladies," he snapped.

She took a few steps forward and the man kept his knife pointed at her.

"I only want something to eat," she said.

"Mermaids eat the flesh of men," he retorted, "I have nothing here for you!"

She furrowed her eyebrows. Did humans seriously believe that mermaids ate men? They only ate men when they couldn't find anything else to eat! She pointed to the meat cooking over a small fire.

"I actually had something more like this in mind."

His eyes narrowed and they stared at each other pointedly for a few awkward moments. Lorelei wasn't sure who was going to speak or break eye contact first. The man eventually glanced away and Lorelei felt relieved when he reluctantly carved off a piece of meat for her.

"May I have some to take to the commodore as well?"

He glared before carving off another piece. Lorelei gave him a kind smile and quickly snatched two pieces of bread while he was busy.

"Here," the man grumbled as he handed over the slices of meat on a plate.

"Thank you," she said in a sweet voice, which only made his expression seem sourer than before. Lorelei went back up the stairs and quickly slipped back into the commodore's cabin. He was still deep in thought.

James was still trying to mull over Lorelei's intentions when she suddenly appeared before him. She leaned in and gazed into his eyes, trying to get his attention.

"If you're not careful, your face will forever remain like that."

He frowned at her and she grinned. Oh, how she loved making him frown!

"I hope you're hungry," she said, "The cook wasn't the most cooperative man to work with to get breakfast."

He seemed genuinely surprised that she had made due on her promise. Lorelei held out the plate to him and a slice of bread.

"I'm sorry I didn't bring more," she said, "He really didn't want me around, so I took what I could."

He took the plate and bread from her.

"Thank you," he said and was surprised to see Lorelei smile.

"You're welcome," she said, "It's the very least that I could do."

There seemed to be sincerity in her blue eyes and James found himself trusting her despite his better judgment.

Lorelei bit into her slice of bread and her stomach growled loudly in anticipation. The commodore seemed to have heard it judging from how he looked at her.

"It's been a while since I last ate a man," she said sarcastically.

He stared at her without blinking for a moment and she grinned.

"I was just joking," she said, "No need to be worried."

He eyed her hesitantly before returning to his breakfast. Lorelei rolled her eyes when he wasn't looking. It seemed as if British men didn't understand humor.

After finishing his breakfast, James rose from his chair and went to wear his naval jacket was hanging. Lorelei was reclining on the bed. Her eyes followed his every movement and he could feel a tingling sensation on the back of his neck from her gaze. There was something powerful about her eyes that was both impressive and fearsome. He felt like she was trying to cast a spell on him when she stared at him, which only made it more imperative that he leave the cabin.

Lorelei twirled a strand of red hair around her pointer figure as she took in the sight of the commodore in his uniform. She had to admit that he was quite handsome, but she had always admired men in uniforms; especially naval officers. She had done her fair share of guiding a few back to shore after hurricanes destroyed their ships. As the commodore made his way to the door, Lorelei cleared her throat to get his attention. He turned towards with a slightly exasperated look on his face. He had clearly been hoping to avoid another conversation with her.

"Is there anything that I can do to help?" she asked, "I'd rather be useful than sit around and do nothing."

"I'm afraid that the best thing for you to do is to stay here, Miss Lorelei," he replied, which caused the mermaid to frown. He couldn't help but feel a smug sense of satisfaction at causing her to frown after the several times she had made him frown in the past day. He then grabbed his hat, opened the door, and stepped out onto the deck.

 _"Perkele!"_

The wood of the door had muffled Lorelei's exclamation ever so slightly, but James had still heard it well enough to determine that it was definitely foreign. It was probably a word from the language she had sang to him in. The commodore donned his hat and began to bark out orders to his crew.

Lorelei swore once more and pouted on the bed. Why did he always slip out of her grasp?! It seemed like whenever she was making progress with him he always found a way to slink off without her. Well, she would just have to change that. Lorelei rose from the bed and marched towards the door. She could be useful and she would put herself to work. There had to be something that needed to be done on the ship. She opened the door and felt the mist of the waves on her face. She closed her eyes and took in the sensation for a moment.

The sailors immediately looked at her and fear shone in their eyes. She could see fear from a mile away. She was used to it after all. She hoped that eventually the fear would turn into something else. But she knew that it would take time and that she would have to be patient. Lorelei stepped onto the deck and let the door shut behind her. The wind ripped through her red hair and she immediately started searching for her target. She could see the commodore standing near the ship's wheel. Lorelei quietly made her way towards the wheel and dodged the angry glares of the sailors. She couldn't let them get to her. She came to a stop behind the commodore and straightened her back. Her hair blew in front of her eyes and she gazed up at the sky. She had always been fascinated with the sky. Perhaps because it was always the first thing she saw when she reached the water's surface.

"Beautiful sky today," she commented.

James glanced at her briefly before returning his gaze to the horizon.

"I suppose it is," he replied.

She raised an eyebrow and considered standing right in front of him to distract him. She wanted him to pay attention to her; not the horizon! She took in his profile. She didn't understand why he wore the powdered wig, but she had seen it before on other men, so she had to assume that it was the fashion of the British navy.

"May I ask you a question, commodore?" she asked.

He eyed briefly with suspicion.

"You may."

"Why do you wear a wig?"

He apparently hadn't been expecting her to ask that judging by the surprised look on his face. The sailor manning the wheel snorted at her question; he had obviously been trying to hide his amusement.

"I suppose mermaids aren't aware of current fashion," he said.

Lorelei tilted her head to the side and eyed him with mischief shining in her eyes.

"No, we aren't," she said, "We only see glimpses from our brief encounters with humans."

He eyed her once more and she smiled.

"Why don't you ask me a question?"

He thought for a moment before deciding on what he wanted to ask her.

"When was the last time you encountered a human?"

Lorelei's smile vanished from her face and her expression hardened. James was surprised at her sudden change in mood.

"Three years ago," she said quietly, "in the north. The ground was frozen with snow and ice."

The sailor manning the wheel eyed her curiously as did the commodore.

"It was a small village of reindeer herders," she continued, "but the man I met with lived a ways off from everyone else. Everyone was afraid of him because he was a sorcerer."

The commodore's eyebrows furrowed. Years ago he would've scoffed at the idea of witchcraft or sorcery. However, after battling skeleton pirates, his views on the matter had changed quite drastically.

"He taught me many things," she said, "Like how to stay on land longer."

James hadn't even considered the possibility that Lorelei would have to return to the water. He watched her closely as long repressed emotions shined in her eyes.

"What happened to him?" the sailor abruptly asked.

Lorelei looked at him with a sad smile.

"He drowned," she said softly.

The sailor obviously thought that she had had something to do with the sorcerer's drowning and took a step back from the wheel.

"Get back to your post!" The commodore barked and the sailor reluctantly obeyed.

Lorelei turned her gaze towards the commodore.

"You may ask another if you wish," she said.

He hesitated. He was unsure of what to ask her. He hadn't expected such a response to his previous question.

"Where in the north are you from?" he asked.

Her smiled seemed more genuine and less pained.

"Far in the north, commodore," she said, "I believe you might know it as Finland."

The sailor and James both stared at her in shock. She had come from the Gulf of Finland?!

"You swam all the way from the Gulf of Finland?" James asked in surprise.

Lorelei grinned and seemed to enjoy their disbelief.

"Of course," she said, "how else would I have gotten here?"

"Do you know where you are, miss?" the sailor asked.

"Not exactly," she answered.

"This is the Caribbean," James said, "You swam thousands of miles."

"I'm aware of how far I traveled," she said with a smile, "But now I'm curious about where this ship is headed."

The sailor looked towards the commodore. The commodore decided where the crew went. James glanced out at the horizon and could feel the mermaid's eyes on him.

"Tortuga," he finally said.

The sailor stared at him in shock, but said nothing.

Lorelei glanced out towards the horizon as well and smiled.

"One of my sisters told me about Tortuga," she said, "I've always wanted to see an island from above the water."

James didn't seem keen for any further conversation, so Lorelei took her leave. She went down the steps to the deck below and the sailors made room for her. She could see the sun high in the sky as the sailors worked in the rigging. A young man no older than eighteen was pulling on the sails to lower them. Lorelei smiled as an idea occurred to her. She took a place next to the young man and gripped the rope and began to pull in unison with him. He stopped for a moment in surprise, but resumed when she shot him a dirty look. As they pulled in unison, Lorelei glanced up to see that the commodore was looking in the opposite direction. She frowned. She wanted his attention. She could hear another sailor humming a tune nearby and grinned. She knew how to gain the commodore's attention.

 _"Weigh heigh and up she rises! Weigh heigh and up she rises! Weigh heigh and up she rises early in the morning!"_

The commodore's head whipped in the direction of Lorelei's voice and he was stunned to see her helping the crew with the sails.

 _"What will we do with a drunken sailor? What will we drunken sailor? What will we do with a drunken sailor early in the morning?"_

She continued to sing and tug on the rope.

" _Weigh heigh and up she rises! Weigh heigh and up she rises! Weigh heigh and up she rises early in the morning!"_

There was silence as she waited for someone to join her. The boy next to her looked at her nervously, clearly not wanting to be the one to sing with her. A big, burly sailor across the deck glanced up from swabbing the deck. His eyes met with Lorelei's and he grinned at her.

 _"Put him in the scruppers with a hose-pipe on him! Put him in the scruppers with a hose-pipe on him! Put him in the scruppers with a hose-pipe on him early in the morning!"_

Lorelei grinned as other sailors joined in.

" _Weigh heigh and up she rises! Weigh heigh and up she rises! Weigh heigh and up she rises early in the morning!"_

James took a few steps towards the railing and watched his crew, plus one mermaid, work below him.

 _"Put him in the brig until he's sober! Put him in the brig until he's sober! Put him in the brig until he's sober early in the morning! Weigh heigh and up she rises! Weigh heigh and up she rises! Weigh heigh and up she rises early in the morning!"_

Lorelei grinned as she worked. She was lucky that she had heard several sea shanties from her older sisters of the sea. Perhaps knowing sea shanties was enough to earn some of the crew's trust.

The commodore perused his maps as Lorelei walked into the cabin later that night. He glanced up at her messy hair and her skin that was damp from the evening mist.

"I never asked you to work," he said as she shut the door behind her.

Lorelei shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly.

"I wanted to," she replied, "I enjoy using my muscles in new ways."

She rubbed her arms as she walked across the cabin. She had never felt pain in her upper arms before! She could feel his eyes on her as she sat down on the bed and crossed her legs. She ran her fingers through her messy hair and sighed. She had rather enjoyed her first full day on the ship.

James glanced back down at his maps, but couldn't focus. He was wondering about why Lorelei had looked so haunted when she spoke about the sorcerer that had drowned. He wanted to ask her, but he felt that it wasn't appropriate to. Lorelei seemed to notice that he wasn't really working and had rested her elbows on her knees.

"Would you like a song to ease your mind, commodore?" she asked.

He glanced at her and was sorely tempted. He had slept like a rock the night before and he would give anything to never have dreams again for the rest of his life. Lorelei gestured for him to come towards her and he found himself pushing his chair back and rising out of his seat. She smiled as he crossed the cabin and sat on the bed next to her.

"Make yourself comfortable," she said and he noticed that her eyes were resting on his powdered wig. Apparently she really was curious about what was underneath. He removed the wig and Lorelei seemed surprised to see his natural hair for the first time. Her hand hovered in the air for a brief moment before she rested on her knee.

"I didn't expect you to have darker hair," she said.

Now it was his turn to grin at her surprise.

"I guess we both have our secrets."

Lorelei smiled and nodded her head in agreement.

"One day I might share them with you, if you care to hear them."

"I will let you know if that day ever comes," he replied as he lay back on the bed.

She leaned over him and her red hair veiled him in shadow. He stared into her eyes and felt himself trapped in their blue depths. Lorelei took a breath and began to sing softly.

 _"Iđitguovssus girdilit. Hávski lei go iđistit. Vilges dolggiid geigestit. Várrogasat salastit."_

The words were alien to his ears, but he didn't care. He felt his mind quieting and relaxing.

" _Njukča, njuvččažan. Buokčal, ligge varan. Njukča, njuvččažan. Ovdal iđitroađi."_

James closed his eyes as he imagined the home from his childhood. He had always watched the swans on the pond near the green grass.

 _"Iđitguovssus girdilit._ _Hávski lei go iđistit. Jaskatvuođain savkalit. Nuorravuođain njávkalit."_

He could see his mother and father. His mother had always worn light colors and her blond hair glowed in the sunlight like a halo. His father's hair was almost red.

 _"Njukča, njuvččažan. Buokčal, ligge varan. Njukča, njuvččažan. Ovdal iđitroađi."_

The vision in his mind began to fade as he drifted off into slumber. His limbs were heavy and he felt at peace.

 _"Riegádahte áibbašeami. Oktovuođa váillaheami."_

Lorelei glanced down at the sleeping commodore and couldn't restrain her emotions anymore. Tears formed in her eyes as she remembered learning the song. He had taught it to her. Just as he had taught her most of the magic that she knew. Even after three years she couldn't put his death behind her. She wondered if she would ever be able to move on. But when she closed her eyes she knew that his death would haunt her for the rest of her days. She could see his long blonde hair and his blue eyes shining with mischief and knowledge. She would never forget. She could never forget.

* * *

(Author's Note): Sorry for the delay in updating! I'm about to graduate, so I've been busy with my classes. Anyways, I'll try to be more regular with updating and writing after the semester is over. The shanty is Assassin's Creed Black Flag's adaption of "Drunken Sailor" and the song that Lorelei sings to James is by the Sami singer Máddji called "Dawn Light."


	4. Battle and Guilt

After over a week on the ship, Lorelei was already becoming close with some of the commodore's crew. The cook didn't brandish a knife whenever she went down to the galley and the men who worked the rigging loved to sing shanties with her. Even the commodore was warming up to her.

James stood out on the deck as he watched his crew work. He could see a flash of red in the rigging and knew that Lorelei was being taught how to climb into the crow's nest to act as lookout. He never thought that a mermaid would join his crew, but he found himself not regretting taking her in. She was nice to have around. After losing Elizabeth he had started to withdraw from people and took to being by himself. Lorelei forced herself through his barriers and demanded that he socialize with her. It was a nice change. They would spend the nights discussing their days and wondering what the sea would bring the next morning. He smiled slightly as he saw Lorelei lean over the railing of the crow's nest to gaze down at the deck below her. She had probably never been up in the air so high before.

Lorelei grinned as the wind whipped through her red hair and the crew milled on the deck below her. They looked so small!

"Are you sure you'll be alright, Lorelei?" the sailor asked her, "I'd hate to leave you up here by yourself if you feel like you're not ready."

"I'll be fine," she assured him, "I already love it up here!"

He smiled and started to climb back down the rigging leaving her alone in the crow's nest. Lorelei turned to gazing out at the horizon. Seagulls flew towards the sun and their calls were carried on the breeze. The air smelled of salt and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She felt like something was looming on the horizon: something unexpected.

James had gone back into his cabin to study his maps. Jack Sparrow had last been spotted near Tortuga, which was the reason why they were heading to the lawless island. He hoped that Lorelei would be able to get close to Sparrow allowing him to catch the man that had destroyed his reputation. He would never forgive Jack Sparrow for nearly costing him his commission. He began to plot their course when he heard yelling from outside his cabin. He could hear Lorelei's voice and the stampeding of boots on the deck outside. He immediately jumped to his feet and rushed to the door. He flung the door open and stared up at the crow's nest. Lorelei was leaning over the railing and yelling as loudly as she could.

"The Spanish!"

"To arms!" James yelled and his men quickly obeyed. The scrambled down to the weapons caches and several went underneath the deck to operate the cannons. James looked up at Lorelei and could see the worry clearly on her face. He had to make sure that she stayed up there to give them any information that she could and to keep her away from the fighting should they be boarded. The Spanish weren't known to be kind to women they perceived as being English.

Lorelei whipped her gaze back to the ship and saw that they were preparing their cannons.

"They're preparing the canons," she yelled, "Be ready!"

James gripped the pistol at his side. It was only a matter of time before they ran into the Spanish. This was their territory after all. He spotted Lorelei trying to climb down the rigging.

"Stay there!" he yelled.

The mermaid froze and stared at him clearly puzzled.

"I want to help!" she shouted.

"You can help by staying up there," he yelled back.

She opened her mouth to retort, but he cut her off.

"That's an order!"

Lorelei's mouth opened, but she couldn't find the words to counter his command. She glared at him before climbing back into the crow's nest. Did he think that she wasn't capable of helping? She had already proven herself to be a great sailor! She could defend the ship just as well as any of his men! She whipped her head back towards the Spanish warship and saw that it was only a short distance away from them now.

"They're lining up with us!"

The crew took their positions and were ready to fight as James barked orders.

"Show no mercy!" he yelled and his crew cheered.

Lorelei bit her lip as she got a clear look at the Spanish crew. She hoped that they didn't notice that she was up there until she noticed that the man in their crow's nest had spotted her and was yelling down in Spanish. He was most likely telling them that about her.

" _Perkele_ ," she groaned.

The ships were lined up side-by-side and the men could see the whites of each other's eyes. Tension filled the air. It was only a matter of who would make the first move. Lorelei leaned over the railing and stared down at the commodore. He seemed determined to give everything he had to defend his ship and she had to admit that she admired that. The other part of her thought that this whole endeavor was completely and utterly stupid. She held her breath until the Spanish captain ordered his crew to begin firing.

Gunshots and chaos erupted below her and she could only helplessly watch as men began to fall into the sea. She considered diving in after them, but she remembered the commodore's order and reluctantly remained rooted to her post. She watched shots being fired back and forth and fell to the floor when a cannonball hit the side of the ship. She knew that she couldn't stay up out of harm's way any longer when she heard planks slam onto the deck. They were being boarded.

"Prepare to be boarded!" James yelled and his crew quickly swarmed forwards to meet the boarding Spanish. He pulled out his sword and quickly glanced up at the crow's nest. It seemed that Lorelei had smartly taken cover.

Lorelei peeked over the railing and watched as the Spanish boarded and clashed with the British navy. Men fell into the sea or died on the deck and she felt her heart pounding in her ears. She had never seen death on such a scale as this before. She watched as the commodore clashed swords with a Spanish sailor with dark brown hair and felt her stomach lurch. He was clearly the superior swordsman, but she was still worried. As he was overpowering the sailor another came up behind him and Lorelei couldn't stay in the crow's nest any longer. She climbed onto the railing and leaped off the edge.

James heard a loud thud behind him as he stabbed his opponent in the chest. Once his foe was dispatched, he whipped around and saw Lorelei on the deck on top of another sailor. She was tearing up his face with her long nails.

"I told you to stay out of the way!" he yelled as he started to fight another Spaniard.

"I couldn't stay up there when you were about to be run through!" she snapped as she ripped through the man's throat with her claws. He finally went still and she quickly rose to her feet.

James was surprised that she had risked herself to protect him. He spotted a Spaniard trying to rush Lorelei from behind and quickly shoved her out of the way allowing the man to run straight into his sword. Lorelei kicked the man off of his blade and let him fall to the deck to bleed to death. Lorelei pressed her back up against James' and looked over her shoulder at him.

"What are you doing?!" she snapped, "Keep fighting! I'll protect you!"

James obeyed and started slashing at the sailors who were foolish enough to challenge him as the mermaid behind him brandished her bloody claws. She glared down the Spaniards approaching her and released an unearthly shriek when she started to slash out in all directions with her deadly claws. Men fell all around them as they fought. The entire deck was in a state of chaos as cannons fired and shook the ships to their very cores. Lorelei spotted one of their own sailors fall from the rigging at a vigorous shake from the cannon fire and could only watch his descent into the angry waves below.

Lorelei was slashing at the Spaniards around her when she spotted that the Spanish captain had boarded. She dispatched the man in front of her and locked eyes with the captain. Her lips curled back from her teeth in an angry snarl and she fought back the urge to leap on top of him and claw his face to shreds. He pushed his way through the fighting to get towards her and the mermaid raised her claws in front of her. She was ready.

James was busy clashing with the Spanish ship's first mate when he heard a shriek from behind him. He and the first mate both paused to see what was causing the commotion and he felt his blood boil when he saw the Spanish captain with Lorelei flung over his shoulder. Lorelei was shrieking, clawing the back of his coat, and kicking her legs wildly as he tried to carry her off. James quickly took this opportunity to run the first mate through and kick the man off of his blade before he rushed to rescue Lorelei.

Lorelei shrieked in the captain's ear hoping to deafen him, but it had no effect on him. He continued making his way towards his ship and she continued to kick and claw at his back. She spotted the commodore rushing up behind him and she reached out towards him for his sword. Their eyes locked and he seemed to understand what she wanted of him. He lunged forward and she gripped his hand that was gripping his blade. Together, they shoved the blade deep into the captain's back. The captain sank to his knees and his grip loosened on Lorelei's waist. She was able to free herself and kicked him in the face before she got on top of him and started tearing his face to ribbons. Blood fell to the deck from his face and his back as James pulled his sword from the captain's back.

"Their captain has fallen!" one of the British sailors yelled, "Finish them!"

The crew yelled and unleashed havoc on the remaining Spaniards. When the captain was finally dead, Lorelei rose to her feet and brushed her hair out of her face with a bloody hand. James watched as blood was smeared across her face. Her eyes flashed with fury and she threw her head back and shrieked before launching herself onto the next unsuspecting Spaniard. Her claws dug into his throat and she dispatched him quickly. Mermaids were truly a force to be reckoned with when they were furious.

After a few more brief moments of utter chaos and bloodshed the last of the Spanish laid down their weapons and surrendered. The crew cheered and Lorelei cheered with them as they started tying them up.

"What should we do with them, Commodore?"

James glanced at the prisoners and then at Lorelei. She met his gaze and they seemed to both have the same idea in mind.

"Throw them overboard," he said.

The sailor stared at him in surprise.

"Bound?" he asked.

"Of course not," the commodore answered, "untie them first."

Some of the crew grumbled as they started to undo the binds that they had just tied.

"May I have the honor, commodore?" Lorelei asked. Her eyes flashed with mischief.

"Of course," he said with a small grin.

Lorelei beamed and started shoving the Spaniards towards the side of the ship. She spun one around and touched his cheek with her bloody hand. He stared at her in fear as she left trails of blood on his tanned face. Her hand traveled down his neck and rested on his chest before she shoved him over the railing and into the sea. His shipmates watched on in horror as he sank below the waves. They didn't have long to ruminate on their comrade's passing before they joined him in the murky depths of the sea. Lorelei grinned as she saw some surface and waved to them as the ship started back on its course.

That night after the crew had mourned their dead and celebrated their victory, Lorelei joined the commodore in his cabin. Her hair was wet and dripping water on the floorboards as she crossed the cabin. James' eyes glanced down to her hands and he noticed that they were spotless. She had obviously washed. As she passed by his desk he could smell salt and knew that she had probably dived into the sea to wash herself. Her blue eyes met his and she smiled.

"Quite an exciting day, wouldn't you agree?"

He gave her a small grin as he leaned back in his chair.

"Yes, quite so," he said, "I must admit it's the first time I've seen the wrath of a mermaid."

Lorelei laughed and the sound was like the tinkling of bells.

"I'm afraid I got a little carried away," she said as she sat on the edge of his bed.

"I think that you had grounds to react the way you did," he said as he remembered the Spanish captain trying to carry her off. He remembered the anger that rushed through his veins and he couldn't even imagine losing her. She had become a confidant in the past two weeks and he wasn't willing to lose that.

She smiled at him and kicked off her boots with a sigh.

He watched her pull her feet up on the bed and suddenly remembered what she had mentioned a week ago about a sorcerer. He wondered if she would be willing to tell him. He rose from his seat and crossed the cabin towards her. She rose up on her elbows and watched him. Realization dawned in her eyes as she saw the pensive look on his face when he sat next to her.

"Lorelei," he began, "Are you ready to tell me what happened with the sorcerer?"

Her eyes hardened and she glanced away. He had told her many things about himself in the past two weeks and he felt that he deserved to know what she was hiding.

"Well," she said with a sigh, "you did save my life today. I guess I'm ready to finally tell my story."

He was quiet as she mustered up the resolve to tell him what had occurred three years ago.

"I had found myself far in the north of Finland," she explained, "Where no one dares tread. However, there are a group of people who make their home there herding reindeer."

James eyed her intently as he listened.

"I wandered through the village and was turned away by everyone. No one trusted a naked woman that wasn't bothered by the cold. I wandered for what felt like nearly an hour before I found a small house far from the village. The door opened while I was still a ways off and I saw a man standing in the doorway. He was covered in furs and the traditional clothing of the people of the area. He wasn't afraid of me."

Lorelei glanced at him with a small smile on her face.

"He took me in for the night and didn't ask anything of me in return. I began to speak to him and learned why he lived so far away from the rest of the village. He was a sorcerer and he had killed all of the other sorcerers around the village. He was the only one left and the village feared his power."

James' eyebrows furrowed and she decided that it was best to explain it further.

"He told me that sorcerers fight at night through dreams," she explained, "They take the forms of animals and invade the house of the other sorcerer while they're dreaming. If the other sorcerer manages to kill their animal form, then the invading sorcerer never wakes up again."

His eyebrows rose in surprise and she continued her story.

"I asked him if he would teach me what he knew and he agreed as long as I kept him company. He was lonely being so removed from the rest of his people and I felt sympathy for him."

She glanced to the side to hide the pain in her eyes.

"We became quite close during my time there," she said, "He taught me how to curse, heal, and how to extend my time on land. At first he asked that I speak to him in payment for his instruction, but then he began to ask that I join him in his bed."

James turned red and Lorelei grinned at him.

"He only asked for my warmth," she clarified, "No need to be worried."

He awkwardly looked away as he tried to will the red from his face.

"I learned his name after a month. His name was Iisku. He never referred to me by my name even though I had given it to him. He called me _njučka_ , which means swan."

"Why did he call you a swan?" James asked in confusion.

Lorelei smiled at him and sighed.

"When I asked Iisku, he explained that I reminded him of a swan because I was beautiful and also aggressive."

James couldn't argue with Iisku on his reasoning. Lorelei was definitely both of those things.

"Months passed and the winter was turning into spring. I knew that I had to return to the water soon."

Her eyes shone with sadness.

"I told him that I had to leave and he refused to let me go," she said softly, "He confessed his love for me and begged me not to leave."

James' eyes softened as he could see the pain in Lorelei's eyes.

"I knew that he wouldn't let me leave while he was conscious," she said, "so I had to make him lose his senses long enough for me to return to the water without him following me. I slipped a draught into his beer that would cause him to sleep. When he fell asleep, I quietly left the house and walked to the water."

James could see the tears forming in Lorelei's eyes.

"I took a few steps into the water and I heard Iisku calling for me. I looked back and saw him running as fast as he could in his drugged state. I ran into the water and started to swim as fast as I could. I hoped that if I could disappear beneath the water, he wouldn't try to follow me."

She was silent for a few moments and she closed her eyes tightly. Her jaw was clenched and a tear rolled down her cheek.

"I was wrong," she said softly, "He followed me into the water and began to drown. I swam back and pulled him to shore, but the water had already entered his lungs and it was too late. I couldn't save him. I could only hold him in my arms and sing to him until he passed. And when he finally fell limp and went cold, I felt a crushing weight of guilt on my shoulders. I was responsible for his death. If I had stayed, he would still be alive."

She took a deep breath as more tears fell from her eyes.

James felt sympathy for the mermaid's feeling of guilt. Whenever one of his men died, he felt personally responsible for the man's passing. James rested his hand on Lorelei's shoulder causing her to look up at him in surprise.

"You are not to blame," he said softly, "He never should have tried to make you stay."

Her eyes widened slightly in surprise.

"If he truly loved you," James continued, "He would have let you go."

More tears fell from her eyes and she began to sob. If she wasn't to blame, then why did she feel responsible?

James wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close against him to comfort her. She sobbed against his shoulder and clenched her fists in her lap. He held her tightly and rubbed her arm reassuringly like his mother used to do for him when he was a child.

"It isn't your fault," he said soothingly, "You had the right to leave."

She cried for a few more minutes before finally quieting down. She finally looked up at him and wiped her eyes.

"I never should have given him the draught," she said, "He would be still alive if I hadn't."

"He would have followed you into the water anyway," James said, "There's nothing that you could have done to avoid it."

She was quiet once more as she considered his words. There seemed to be some truth to them. Actually, there was a lot of truth to them. James was right. Iisku would have followed her no matter what she did. There was nothing she could have done to prevent his death. She felt the crushing weight on her shoulders suddenly lift and tears filled her eyes once more.

"You're right," she said softly, "I'm not to blame. Thank you."

He smiled at her and squeezed her arm reassuringly.

"You did save my life," he said, "it's the least I could do."

She laughed and he was relieved to hear the musical sound once more. She wiped her eyes and sighed in relief.

"It feels wonderful to not have that burden anymore," she said.

He smiled and nodded his head. He imagined that he would feel the same way when he finally released Elizabeth and moved on. When that would be he had no clue, but he had a feeling that it was on the horizon.

* * *

(Author's Note:) I really enjoyed writing this chapter and I hope that you all enjoyed reading it! I have finals next week and a monster ten page paper about a topic that I plan to pursue in grad school to write by December 10th, so I might not be able to update next week. I'll see if I can write another chapter this week, but I can't make any promises!  
A side note: "perkele" is the Finnish word for "fuck."  
Another side note: What Lorelei is explaining is traditional Sami belief concerning the nature of sorcerer wars. In my intro to cultural anthropology class I took two years ago, I was told that a sorcerer will take the form of a rat, mouse, or other small animal while they dream and sneak into the house of their rival to curse, kill, or spy on them. If their rival manages to kill them while they're in their form, they die in their sleep. Iisku was obviously the baddest motherfucker around and survived all of his opponents.


	5. Dreams and Nightmares

Lorelei tossed and turned during the night as dreams tormented her. She dreamed of standing on the deck while her mermaid sisters called for her to return to them, but she couldn't will herself to leap over the side and dive into the water. What was holding her back? Why didn't she want to return? The dream faded into another and next she was swimming through the sea being chased by a merman. She had never been fond of mermen and had preferred human men. Mermen weren't known to be kind or loving like human men were rumored to be. Her worst fear was to be trapped with a merman. While they were few, they were fiercely protective of their female counterparts and despised it when a mermaid chose a human over one of them. She tossed and turned as the merman grabbed her tail and dragged her deep into the murky depths of the ocean. She knew that he would punish her for becoming friends with a human man. As darkness overtook her, she prayed that the dream would end. The God that the humans were fond of seemed to have granted her wish. Her dream took a sudden and sharp turn that only caused her to toss and turn more violently. She dreamed of James touching her. His hands travelled down her arms and came to a rest on her hips. Her skin was hot as he kissed her. She turned over violently and felt herself falling. Then she landed hard on the floor.

James awoke to a loud thud and a yelp of surprise. He blinked his eyes to help them adjust to the darkness and then leaned over the side of the bed.

Lorelei was lying on the floor with a stunned look on her face. Her cheeks were burning red and she was muttering something in the other language she often used.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

He seemed to have startled her, for she shot him a frantic glance before abruptly moving her gaze to the ceiling.

"I'm fine," she said, "I just rolled out of bed, that's all."

His eyebrows furrowed with concern and he offered her his hand.

"Do you need help?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she said firmly despite the frantic look on her face, "I'm perfectly fine."

He eyed her before withdrawing his hand.

"If you insist."

Lorelei took deep breaths to calm herself down as James went back to sleep. She couldn't let herself get worked up over a dream. She knew that it was in her nature to be sensual. She was a mermaid after all. However, she also knew that James was very much the exact opposite of her. She couldn't ask him to do anything that he wasn't willing to do just to make the feeling go away. He was her friend and she couldn't do that to him. She _wouldn't_ do that to him. With that resolve in mind, she sat up and let out a deep sigh. She would have to become used to the dreams.

She knew that the desires of a mermaid could manifest themselves in different forms. For her, they came in the form of dreams. She had dreamed of Iisku when she stayed with him for nearly a month. Now she was dreaming about James and that made her deeply uncomfortable. She would just have to ignore them.

The next morning, Lorelei made sure that she was out of the cabin before James even woke up. She wanted some time to get her thoughts together after her dreams from the night before. She leaned against the rail of the ship and sighed as the wind teased her red hair. The air felt wonderful on her skin and the smell of the salty air was refreshing. She smiled and tried to forget the dreams from the night before. She closed her eyes and tried to think of anything other than the dreams.

"You're up quite early."

She nearly jumped out of her skin. She spun around and saw James standing before her fully dressed in his uniform. Her skin tingled as she remembered her dream with him and she fought back the redness trying to rush into her cheeks.

"I wanted to get some fresh air," she said, "Perhaps your habits are rubbing off on me."

He smiled and stood next to her at the railing. Lorelei dug her nails into the palm of her hand to distract her mind from wandering off into sensual territory.

James glanced over at Lorelei as she gazed at the horizon. She looked tense and he wondered if it had anything to do with how she acted earlier when she rolled out of bed. He considered asking her what was troubling her, but he had a feeling that she would avoid the question.

Lorelei risked a glance at James and noticed that he was watching her. She turned red and immediately averted her gaze. He could tell that something was bothering her and he no doubt wanted to know what exactly it was. She would take that dream to her watery grave. He could _never_ know about it. She had worked so hard to gain his trust and admitting her dream to him would no doubt strain that trust. She couldn't risk the friendship she had with him.

"I'm going to go up above," Lorelei said as she turned from the railing and went towards the stairs.

James didn't say anything as he watched her step down onto the lower deck. Her shoulders were tense and she had a resigned look in her eyes as if she had decided something. A sudden thought went through his mind; what if she had decided to return to the ocean? He felt a sinking feeling in his stomach as he considered the thought of her leaving. She was the only person on board that he felt a connection with and who understood him. They shared a bond on multiple levels and had much in common. He wasn't willing to lose his friend so soon. But he also knew that if he forced her to stay, he would be no better than Iisku. He would have to let her go if she wished it. He straightened his back and took a deep breath as he pushed the thought away. He would address it when Lorelei finally voiced her intention of leaving.

Lorelei stayed in the crow's nest for most of the day and only came down when the sun had completely sunk below the horizon. Stars dotted the sky and a cool wind blew through her hair. She sighed at the cool air on her skin as she walked across the deck. Only a few of the crew remained above deck and they flashed her friendly smiles, which she was only happy to return. The crew was more than happy for her to be posted in the crow's nest. She was the only one who seemed to enjoy being high above the deck for hours at a time.

James was looking over maps when he heard the door to his cabin open. Lorelei quietly shut the door behind her as if she didn't want to disturb him. Or perhaps she had been trying to sneak in unnoticed.

"I haven't seen much of you today," he said and Lorelei jumped at the sound of his voice.

She gazed at him briefly in surprise before she managed to school her expression into one of calm.

"Someone has to make sure that the enemy doesn't sneak up on us," she said.

"And I thank you for doing a wonderful job."

Lorelei smiled and crossed the cabin towards the bed. She suddenly stopped. The sooner she went to sleep, the sooner she'd have to face more sensual dreams. She could feel her nerves on edge and her body singing for a man's touch. Her eyes darted towards James and she abruptly shook her head to clear her thoughts.

"Is something wrong?"

"No," she replied with a smile, "nothing at all."

She would have to do her best to pretend that nothing was wrong. She sat down on the edge of the bed and started to slip her boots off as James returned to his maps. She laid back on the bed with a soft sigh and closed her eyes. She remembered the last time she had been intimate with a man and immediately opened her eyes. It was going to be a very long night.

After another hour of poring over maps, James glanced up to see Lorelei had fallen asleep. She was curled up on her side and seemed to be sleeping peacefully. He smiled slightly at how peaceful she finally looked after being tense the whole day. He finally rose from his chair and quietly crossed the cabin towards the bed. He could hear her soft breathing as he removed his shoes and slipped off his coat. He laid down next to her and she sighed at his warmth. She turned over and snuggled up against him. James had determined over the past week that Lorelei sought out warmth when she slept and he had grown accustomed to her pressing herself against him. It had been awkward at first, but he had started to enjoy it. There was something soothing about feeling another person's warmth. The first night she snuggled up against him he had trouble sleeping. He had taken the time to look over her red hair and her pale skin. The contrast between the brightness of her hair and the paleness of her skin was something to admire.

Lorelei had nightmares once more as she was curled up against James. She dreamed about watching him fall over the railing of the ship during a storm and diving in after him, but being unable to rescue him. Her nightmare faded into another where she was dragged over the side of the ship by a vengeful merman while James watched helplessly. She could feel the merman's grip on her arms as he dragged her deep into the murky depths of the ocean. She tossed and turned as the merman grabbed her hair and yanked her head back. Even though it was only a nightmare, she could feel pain in her scalp as if it was actually happening. The merman was becoming more and more violent as he gripped her wrists and dragged her down deeper to where she couldn't see anything anymore. Lorelei felt panic rise in her chest as she tossed and turned. His hands clasped her neck and she couldn't suppress the scream that escaped her lips.

James was abruptly awoken by a scream. It had sounded feminine and he instantly knew that something was wrong with Lorelei. Her nails had lengthened into claws and her hand swung out and nearly clawed him in the face. He gripped her wrist and shoulder.

"Lorelei!"

Lorelei panicked at the pressure on her wrist and shoulder and started to kick at whatever was holding her.

James tightened his hold on Lorelei and started to shake her.

"Lorelei, wake up!"

A voice cut through her nightmare. A voice that was familiar and dripping with concern. A voice that belonged to a person she trusted. A part of her was afraid to open her eyes in case the person holding her actually meant her harm, but another part of her believed that she knew who the person was from their voice. James would never hurt her. He was her friend. She opened her eyes and felt waves of relief wash over her body when she saw James' concerned face.

"Lorelei, are you alright?" he asked as his eyebrows furrowed with worry.

She nodded her head and brought a hand to her face. Her face was covered with sweat.

"Yes," she said, "I'm fine. I just had a nightmare is all."

"Did you have one last night?" he asked.

She nodded her head once more.

"What is troubling you?" he gently asked.

She was taken aback by the gentle tone he was using, but decided that she could trust him. She didn't have to tell him about her sensual dream from the night before.

"I had a nightmare that I was kidnapped by a merman," she said.

James gave her a puzzled look before quickly replacing it with one of deliberation. Apparently he hadn't considered the existence of mermen and was now trying to reason that they it only made sense for a male counterpart to mermaids to exist.

"Mermen are particularly... violent and possessive," she explained, "They despise it when mermaids avoid them or choose to spend time with mortal men over them."

She could see the understanding in his eyes as she explained merman behavior to him.

"I'm afraid that a merman will recognize me as a mermaid and try to drag me back into the ocean. In my nightmare he was dragging me down by my hair and trying to strangle me."

The understanding was replaced by a flash of anger that took Lorelei by surprise. She studied James' face for a while before finally sighing and wiping the sweat from her face.

"Thank you for waking me up," she said, "I'm sorry that I keep waking you up."

He smiled.

"It's no trouble," he said, "I'm more worried about you than I am about losing sleep."

She smiled and started to settle herself back down to sleep.

James watched her until she finally fell asleep. This time she seemed much more at peace.


	6. Capturing a Pirate is Easy!

As James was writing in the ship's log, Lorelei was hovering behind him.  
"What do those symbols mean?" she asked.  
He stopped writing and looked up at her in surprise.  
She seemed confused at the surprised look on his face and tilted her head slightly.  
"Is something wrong?" she asked.  
"You don't know how to read?" he asked.  
She raised an eyebrow and was quite for a brief moment.  
"Paper disintegrates in water," she finally said.  
Of course she couldn't read, James scolded himself. There probably wasn't a need to underwater.  
"Can you write?" he asked.  
She shook her head.  
"Would you like to learn?"  
Her eyes lit up and she nodded her head eagerly.  
"I would love to," she exclaimed, "Hopefully I'll be able to help you with your work once I learn!"  
He smiled at her eagerness and her kind offer to assist in his work. That was something that he admired in Lorelei. She was always willing to help.  
Lorelei moved beside him and eagerly watched him as he started explaining what he was writing to her. She quickly began to pick up simple words, but struggled with longer ones. He knew that it would take time before she recognized them.

It only took a few weeks for Lorelei to become an adept reader. She began to read anything she could get her hands on and James often had to hide his logs from her to make sure that she didn't stay up all night reading them. He also didn't want her to know that he hadn't mentioned her in the log because she'd demand to be entered into it. He didn't want to explain to his superiors that an actual mermaid had become a member of his crew. And that she had become his closest companion and confidant. He had a feeling that they wouldn't be too thrilled.  
Lorelei peeked over James' shoulder as he wrote in the ship's log.  
"How far are we from Tortuga?" she asked.  
"Not too far," he said as he continued to write, "It should be in sight by tomorrow."  
The mermaid smiled and seemed excited at the prospect of seeing the island soon while James was thrilled at the prospect of capturing Jack Sparrow. Sparrow would no doubt be intrigued by Lorelei and would follow her into a trap. It was too ingenious to fail! He only had to get her to agree to the plan.  
"Lorelei," he said as he sat down his quill.  
She leaned in closer.  
"Yes, James?"  
"I have a favor to ask of you."  
She nodded her head.  
"Go on."  
"I need your assistance with catching someone."  
She nodded her head once more for him to continue.  
"I've been searching for a pirate for months," he said, "And you might be able to help me capture him."  
Lorelei smiled.  
"Trapping men is my specialty," she said, "My older sisters would be quite proud if they knew I was aiding the navy."  
James smiled. He knew that he could count on Lorelei. She was always willing to help.  
"Is there anything that I should do in particular?"  
He raised an eyebrow and she sighed.  
"Should I," she paused, "Seduce him?"  
James turned red and her cheeks reddened as well.  
"Perhaps not," she added quickly.  
"Yes, perhaps not," James said.

Lorelei was up in the crow's nest when she finally spotted Tortuga.  
"Land ho!"  
Lorelei immediately climbed down the rigging and dropped down to the deck. James emerged from his cabin shabbily dressed and without his wig. He raised an eyebrow at the surprised look on Lorelei's face.  
"Is something wrong?" he asked.  
"No," she said, "I just barely recognize you."  
"That was the idea," he said, "I'm going with you ashore."  
"So you put on a disguise?"  
"Yes," he said, "Is that a problem?"  
"No," she said quickly, "I just didn't expect you to come with me."  
He smiled and approached her.  
"He's a dangerous fugitive, Lorelei," he said, "I couldn't let you go alone."  
She frowned and sighed as he smiled wider.  
"Fine," she said, "But try to give me some distance. I don't want him to think that we're together."  
James' face reddened slightly and Lorelei realized how he had interpreted her statement.  
"I meant traveling together," she quickly said as she felt her own cheeks flush with embarrassment.  
She'd been blushing a lot as of late and she had no idea why. Then she realized that James was suffering from her same affliction. Was something going on?

Lorelei climbed into the dingy that James gestured to.  
"I could just swim there, you know," she said as she felt stifled at how small the craft was.  
"But you forget that I can't," he replied as he got in after her.  
She shrugged her shoulders. He had a point.  
The crew lowered the dingy into the water and James took the oars.  
"Tell me what this pirate looks like," she said as he began to row towards the island.  
"Long dark hair," he said as he rowed, "a few gold teeth. Basically a typical pirate."  
She quirked an eyebrow at his description; it wasn't very helpful.  
"You will know when you find him. He goes by the name of Captain Jack Sparrow."  
Lorelei's eyebrows raised and she laughed.  
"You're searching for Jack Sparrow?" she asked.  
He stopped rowing and looked at her in confusion. What was so funny about that?  
"I am no stranger to Jack Sparrow," she explained, "He's well known to us mermaids. He's always willing to bargain for our aid in his harebrained schemes and quests."  
Oh no. Maybe Lorelei wouldn't be as willing to help him as he had thought.  
"Have you ever met him?" he asked.  
"Once a year or two ago," she said, which caused James to swear under his breath, "I helped him retrieve that broken compass of his from the bottom of the sea. He clumsily dropped it over the railing of the Pearl."  
That sounded like Jack Sparrow alright.  
"Will you still help me capture him?" James asked.  
Lorelei nodded her head.  
"Of course," she said, "You're my friend and I promised that I would help you."  
James smiled and resumed rowing.  
"He still owes me a favor actually," she said as she gazed up at the blue sky, "He never did repay me for retrieving his compass. Perhaps I could use that to our advantage."

They finally reached shore and hid their dingy under a pile of seaweed. Lorelei used a small still-standing pool of water to primp her hair while James patiently waited off to the side. She hadn't seen her own reflection in weeks and wanted to make sure that hair was still in good shape. She finally finished and they set off towards the island's center.  
"Be aware that the men here have no morals," James warned.  
Lorelei raised an eyebrow.  
"You forget that I have killed men with my bare hands."  
He shrugged shoulders.  
"Fair enough."  
After walking for a while they finally arrived in the middle of Tortuga. Lorelei couldn't help but raise her eyebrows at the utter chaos that was taking place. People milled about and gunshots echoed through the air. She looked over at James with furrowed brows.  
"Is this normal?" she asked.  
"From what I've been told; yes."  
Lorelei looked back to the chaos and frowned.  
"How are there not dead bodies littering the streets?"  
"The grace of God I suppose."  
She snorted as she watched a man smash a bottle of rum over another man's head.  
"And you expect to find Jack Sparrow in this chaos?"  
James nodded his head.  
She sighed.  
"Well, we better start searching."  
"I know the first place to look," he said as he pointed towards a building.  
Lorelei squinted.  
"A tavern?"  
"Sparrow loves his rum like any good pirate."

Jack Sparrow was leaning back in his chair as Joshamee Gibbs sat across from him.  
"What a lovely night to be alive," Gibbs said with a grin on his face, "The rum is flowing and the wenches are out in droves."  
"Aye, that they are."  
Jack watched as his friend suddenly had a stunned look on his face.  
"Mary mother of God, I've never seen hair so red in my entire life!"  
Jack turned his head to see a flame haired woman walking through the tavern. Her blue eyes scanned the crowded tavern as if she was looking for someone. She was unearthly beautiful, but also familiar. Jack swore he had seen a woman that looked like her before. Her eyes rested on him and he felt a chill go down his spine at the intensity of her gaze.  
Gibbs couldn't help but stare as the woman approached the table. She leaned her hip against the table and looked down at them.  
"Well, well," she said, "if it isn't Captain Jack Sparrow."  
Jack stared up at the red headed woman.  
"So you've heard of me?"  
"Of course I have," she said with a grin, "you owe me a debt."  
His eyebrows furrowed and he looked at Gibbs.  
"Do I owe her a debt?" he asked.  
Gibbs shrugged his shoulders and looked just as confused as the captain.  
"I retrieved your compass for you when you dropped it over the side of the Pearl," she explained, "You owe me for my kindness. We mermaids don't do anything for free."  
Jack and Gibbs looked at each other, clearly in a predicament. They had no idea what to do with this mermaid. They knew that once she got out to sea, she could take down the Pearl in a heartbeat and drag them into Davey Jones' locker.  
"What is it that you want, lass?"  
"Lorelei," she corrected stiffly, "And I'm going to leave that to my associate."  
Jack and Gibbs looked at each other again. Associate? She wasn't working alone?

Lorelei motioned for James to come from the shadows where he had been hiding. The sight of Jack Sparrow sitting across from Lorelei made his blood boil as he considered what he could do to the man that had ruined his life. He emerged from the shadows and made his way across the tavern. He could see the look of faint recognition on Jack Sparrow's face as he recognized him. Revenge would be sweet indeed.  
"Well done, Lorelei," he said as he arrived at their table.  
Lorelei beamed and ran her fingers through her long red hair.  
"It was quite easy, you know."  
"What in the devil is going on here?!" Gibbs spat, "You're in league with the she-devil?!"  
"Calm yourself, Joshamee Gibbs," James said as he sat beside Lorelei, "Lorelei is assisting me in my efforts."  
Jack Sparrow watched him carefully from across the table.  
"And what would that be?!"  
"Jack is coming with us," Lorelei said with a sweet smile, "Or else I'll reclaim what's rightfully mine."  
Jack tightened his grip on his compass.  
"What do you say, Captain Jack Sparrow? Are you going to come with us willingly?"  
Gibbs watched in horror as Jack rose to his feet and held his hands out in front of him.  
"Shackle me up then," he said, "It won't be so bad with a lovely lady on board."  
Lorelei grinned and looked over at James.  
"Didn't expect it to be this easy, did you?"  
James didn't like the way things looked. Jack looked too willing. He smelled a trap. He nodded at Lorelei and she grabbed Jack's wrists tightly. The pirate winced in pain at her crushing grip, but didn't say a word.  
"Gibbs, do you wish to accompany your friend?"  
The wisened man eyed them carefully before finally nodding his head. Lorelei and James returned to their ship with their quarry in tow and smiles on their faces. They were on their way to clearing James' name.


End file.
